The Billboard 1905-05-06: Vol 17 Iss 18 (1905-05-06)

ise, ice. The Billboard * ll — —_—__—— RALPH STUART’S LATE SUCCESS The premier performance of A Courier of Fortune was given at the Russell Theatre, Ottawa, Quebec, Can., April 29, with Ralph Stuart in the title role. Following is the cast: Gerard de Cobalt ....... +eeeeeeee Ralph Stuart Prince de Rochelle ......seseees George Lessey Marquis de Proballe ........Frank H. LaRue Colonel Dubois .....-.++..George R. Sprague Captain de la Tour ..... «+++» Edmund Mulkay Captain Bontelle .......++++eocseses B. Mundy Denys St. JOWM .eseceeeeeee ..» Dan EB. Hanlon Pauban ....ccccerevecscccccsssences Alf. Helton Pierre Duval ......+-. ..+.Murdock McQuarrie Jacques Boulanger .....++++eeeeees H. Fortt Servant ....-sececececeeces eeceses James Wall Gabrielle de Malincourt ........ Kate Boneteau Lucette de Boisdegarde ........ Mabel Wright Josephine de Courtelle ...........Mary Mallon Felice Prebonne .......+.++. Gertrude Stanley The play is a romantic drama by Ralph Stuart and Arthur H. Marchmont. It is full of love and intrigue of centuries ago. The Duke of Bourbon sends his younger son, Gerard, to Morvai to investigate the misrule of the Governor, Prince de Rochelle, known for his brutalities as The Tiger of Morvai. ‘The Governor’s troops arrest a profligate, Gerard de Cobalt, to whom Gabrielle has been betrothed in childhood. The Governor has sent for him to show her the impossibilities of marriage to such a scoundrel in order to further his own scheme to divorce his wife, a princess, and marry Gabrielle. Papers are found upon Cobalt revealing the intrigue. Gerard de Bourbon goes to Morvai as Gerard de Cobalt, keeping the real Cobalt a prisoner. He plays up to the part of the profligate except that he will not meet Gabrielle. So the Governor has to hold a reception to bring the two together. The feasting enrages the starving people, who surround the castle until Gabrielle sees their leader slain by the Governor's order. She rushes to the ballroom eager to leave lest the people she loves should think she countenanced the deed. The scene is one of great confusion the mob gaining the upper hand. The Governor forbids anyone to leave the castle. Gerard, fascinated at the first sight of Gabrielle, offers to escort her. To prevent this the Governor proclaims Gerard the scoundrel, but Gabrielle accepts his escort in spite of this action on the Governor’s part. Thus begins their love. The second scene is the formal reception of Gerard as her betrothed. He seeks to tell her who he really is, but she will not listen. The Governor sees them together, is enraged at their mutual love and sends for his soldiers to arrest Gerard for a murder committed by the real Cobalt. The Governor reveals his purpose by offering Gerard liberty in return for a promise of Gabrielle’s hand. This Gerard refuses. Gabrielle carries a message from his friends to Gerard in prison and a plighting of love vows follow. The play was well received and the author-actor repeatedly applauded. MABEL McKINLEY TO STAR Miss Mabel McKinley, the wellknown singer who has been in vaudeVille the past season, is reported to be under a five-years’ contract with Ww. H. Nankeville to star under his management in a new comedy drama by Carroll Fleming, author of Sis Hopkins and other successes. The new piece is to be called The Minister's Wife, and While it is not a musical production, it will offer the singer ample opportunity for the display of her voice, which has made a hit in vaudeville. The production will be given its first perform ned next fall and will go into New ork about Noy. 1. Miss McKinley's first-act entrance will be in pa a pony art, the wheels of which the villain tampers with, to the extent that Miss McKinle y suffers injury. The « Phe Setting of the second act will represent one of the New York roof han during a performance. In this Seen Srnment the star will again bea Shenhat Gee singer and introduce Three nied of her most popular songs. now W vocal numbers, which she is writing, will supplement her former successes. ‘jane Minister's Wife is in three acts, > ea r. A ankeville has announced that Stans hg uction will be elaborately Edward K. mMembes r been Miss Betts, who has been a of the Frohman forces, has “gaged as the leading man in McKinley's support. EMPLOYES GIVE BENEFIT Under the direction of Mr. Arthur Cullen the employes of the Dowling Theatre, Logansport, Ind., gave their annual minstrel show April 25. The production was very credable and proved a financial success for the participants. Manager John E. Dowling, as interlocutor, Charles Solimano, Joseph Latz and the Regan Brothers as end men scored a decided hit. The song, entitled Just Across The Bridge of Gold, sang by Manager Dowling, brought rounds of applause and was the winning feature of the show. The audience was one of the largest of the season. HARSH TREATMENT The following letter would make it appear that travelling theatrical companies visiting Chili are treated with gross unfairness. For the benefit of those managers who contemplate a visit to the southern republic the letter of Mr. W. B. Wood, proprietor and manager of the Edna & Wood Co., is published: “I arrived at Pisagua, Cuili, on Sept. 8, 1903, on my fourth tour through that Republic, and, on disembarking, was required by the Customs authorities of that port to sign a bond in their favor for the sum of $600 Chilian gold, as a guarantee that my personal baggage and that pertaining to my work would be taken out of the country at the expiration of six months from date, the bond bearing the date of the day following my arrival. This was the first and only bend of this description that has been required from me by the Chilian authorities, as previously stated; I was then on my fourth tour through the country. “I signed the bond as requested, depositing the money at the Pisagua branch of the Bank of Tarapaca. I duly explained that I only wished to play in a few towns in the Pampas if the interior, and that, upon my return, we would embark for southern ports, when I should require my bond to be canceled. Promises having been made that my request would be granted, that the bond could, if desired, ever be extended to a term of nine months, and that, on the following day, the necessary popers duly drawn up would be forwarded to me, we left by train for our first town, Dolores. From that point, we eventually proceeded further and returned in nineteen days later, in order to re-em bark at Caleta Buena, the first port south of Pisagua. From Caleta Buena, I wrote to the Pisagua authorities, requesting them to cancel my bond, as 1 proposed arranging with the authorities of each port of landing. It had invariably been my practice on previous occasions. The Pisagua authorities positively refused to cancel my bond until the expiration of six months from the date of signature, irrespective of our intention to leave the country or otherwise. They forwarded the papers to that port, offering the suggestion that something might be done in the matter at Valparaiso. ““\ few weeks later I applied to the authori ties at Valparaiso, to have my Pisagua bond canceled, offering in lieu thereof, a similar bond signed at Valparaiso, but my application was refused. It was my intention to have left Chili within the six months covered by ,my bond, but matters beyond my control prevented me from doing so. “We were at Coplapo on March 1, 1904, ten days before the date on which the Pisagua bond expired. Realizing that it would not be possible to leave Chilian territory within the time decreed by the bond, I applied by wire both to the authorities at Valparaiso and at Pisagua, for an extension of the time. From Valparaiso I was informed that the matter must be arranged at Pisagua, and from Pisagua I was advised that 1 must apply for the extension at Valparaiso. 1 forwarded the Pisagua reply to Valparaiso, and sent the Valparaiso answer to Pisagua, the result being that 1 was finally informed from Pisagua (tliat my bond could not be extended under circumstances beyond its term of six months, and this final information reached me on the day that the time of my bond expired. “Upon my arrival at Pisagua, a few days days later, on April 4, which place I was passing on the way to Arica, the last town of my tour, I went ashore in order to enquire into the position in reference to my bond and the deposit made, and learned to my surprise that the money had been paid over, on demand, to the Pisagua authorities that the bondetaoinetnica Pisagua authorities on the date on which the bond had expired. I was informed by said au| thorities that the bend could not be, and could not have been extended under any circumstances. Om April 13 I embarked on the S.S. **Loa”’ for Peru, taking all these goods out of Chili. “Upon placing the foregoing statement of facts before the American Consul at Arica, he assisted me by applying, through the proper channels, for the refunding of the $600 deposit, and I received in due course, a reply at La Paz, Bolivia. Enclosed with a letter from the Amer jean Minister at Santiago, was a translation of a reply received by the Minister, from Senor Cesar de la Lastra, Chillan Minister of Foreign Affairs, in which he quoted Art. 17, Law of December 23, 1897, part of which reads as follows ‘The deposit of serchandise, consigned to private warehouses, ts also allowed for the ths without prorogation.’ Then he adds, presumably his own interpretation of the law, that ‘among such merchandise is included that. of theatrical companies’ thus classifying theatrical baggage as merchandise. This is not the way to treat theatrical companies, the baggage of which is admitted into the country for a period of six months—neither less, nor more. “As there are no railways by which one can leave the country, It is impossible to leave upon the day, upon the hour, or upon the exact minute prescribed by such an unsatisfactory law. This rule appears to me to be identical with that where Portia, the judge, in the decision as to the payment of a certain debt tells Shylock period of six tor to take his pound of flesh but if the scales do turn but in the estimation of a hair he is to die. I therefore must bow down to the ruling of those Custom House authorities, who declare that this apparent robbery was legitimate.’’ RINGLING’S FIRST APPEARANCE IN THE QUEEN CITY Monday, May 1, marked the first appearance of the Ringling Brothers’ World’s Greatest Shows in Cincinnati. Heretofore the name Ringling, which means so much in the circus world, to the general public of the Queen City of The West, meant but very little, and many were the exclamations of surprise and wonder to be heard at the magnificence and length of the great street pageant with which the Messrs. Ringling Brothers whetted our curiosity. The luring promise held out by that grand spectacle was fulfilled to the letter. The weather was almost ideal circus weather, bright and clear, though light wraps were not uncomfortable. However, Cincinnati turned out en masse and, at the matinee, every seat was taken long before time for the performance to begin. The evening performance was given to S. R. O., and judging from the numbers who were turned away, Ringling Brothers might with profit have remained with us for several ys. Of the performance much might be said did space permit, yet in passing we must speak of the splendor and utter disregard of expense with which the great spectacular feature, the Fiehi of The Cloth of Gold, is invested. Nor is this extravagance confined to this feature alone; it is apparent from first to last and noticable | in every department. From the wealth of individual talent where all are so equally worthy we are unable, after witnessing the performance, to point out any particular one of special merit. Suffice it to say, that each and every act was received with the enthusiastic applause of a critical audience. The menagerie, one of the largest carried by a traveling organization, contains many rare and valuable animals, among others being an albino ice bear and a pair of giraffes. The collection of cat animals is unusually large and beautiful, the most novel feature being two litters of lion cubs. Taken all in all, the afternoon spent by the writer as the guest of the Ringling Brothers Was a most instructive and enjoyable one, the pleasure of which it is not even dimned by the horrors of our local transportation facilities, or we should say—lack of such facilities. KLAW & ERLANGER ENTERPRISE Klaw & Erlanger will present a most important array of attractions next season, for which they are making extensive preparations and engaging an extraordinarily large number of people. Ben-Hur will be cortinued, and will begin its seventh year in September. The Drury Lane spectacle, Humpty Dumpty, will be presented in several of the principal cities for long runs, and, in addition to this, the new spectacle, The White Cat, to be brought over this summer, will be the holiday attraction at the New Amsterdam Theatre. Following their policy of the past seven seasons, Klaw & Erlanger will make a new production for the Rogers Brothers, to be called the Rogers Brothers in Ireland. This will be the most pretentious production these comedians have ever had, and will present a larger number of people than has ever surrounded them. Joseph Cawthorne will be made a full-fledged star in a new comedy by John J. MeNally, ealled In Tammany Hall. MelIntyre and Heath, the famous black face comedians, will open the season at the New York Theatre in a new spectacular farce comedy by George V. Hobart, to be called The Ham Tree. Other important musical productions to be presented by this firm are Seeing New York, a musical comedy by Harry B. Smith; The Butterfly of Fashion, a new musical comedy by C. M. 8S. McClellan and Gustave Kerker, and a new musical comedy by George M. Cohan, the author and star of Little Johnny Jones. By arrangement with George Edwardes, of London, Klaw & Erlanger will present two of his most important successes, The Duchess of Dantzic, which has just closed for a months’ run at Daly’s Theatre in New York, and Veronique, which, like the former, is a light opera with an historical theme. The case of The Duchess of Dantzic will be practically the same as that seen at Daly's, headed by Evie Greene as Sans Gene, and Holbrook Blinn as Napoleon. The entire original London cast of Veronique will be seen in the American tour of this piece, which opens in New York in the early fall. In addition to the two Drury Lane spectacles, The White Cat, which will prove the greatest Drury Lane has yet sent over, and Humpty Dumpty, Klaw & Erlanger will have a th'vd, a distinctively American production, by Paul West, W. W. Denslow and John W. Braton, to be called The Pearl and The Pumpkin. It is the intention of Klaw & Erlanger to make this the createst native spectacle ever seen in this country. It will open the season at the Broadwav Theatre. Klaw & Erlanger will also make two very important dramatic productions—J. 4 Cc. Clarke’s version of Gea. Lew Wallace’s A Prince of India, and Marion Crawford’s new play, By The Waters of Babylon. In both these efforts they will spare no expense, either in cast, scenery, effects and costumes. Forbes Robertson, the distinguished English actor. In a repertoire of classical plays, will add to this extensive list of attractions no small measure of interest. The new productions to be made by this firm next season will represent the greatest investment of capital ever made by a single theatrical firm and the largest number of people ever employed by one man agement. NEW INCORPORATIONS. Conesus Lake Entertainment Co., Rochester. N. Y.: capital $50,006. Hotel, livery and amusements Incorporators—W'alter S. Strowger, Alvin W. Anderson, William J. Maloney, Ralph A. Woods and Charles J. Gilbert. Roltatr Amusement Co., Portland, Ore.; capltal $10,000. Conduct theatres and amusement houses. Incorporators—J. A. Gorman, A. E. Snook and Hi. K. Sargent. Marinorama Co.. Harrison, N. Y.: capita? $40,000. Build and deal in amusement struc tures. Incorporators—Samuel M. Freede, 116 W. 45th street, Edward R. Koch, 3164 Third gg N. Y., and Stephen W. Collins, Harrison, Diamond Novelty Co., Syracuse, N. Y¥.; capitai $20,000. Operate parks, amusements and hotels. Incorporators—A. D. Mills, jr., Albany; John J. Hamilton, Jas. F. Hamilton, Chas. H. Heald and R. H. Deaborn, Schenectady. Vanity Fair Amusement Co., Buffalo, N. Y.; capital $4,000. Amusement parks. Incorporators—Daniel B. Driseall, Geo. H. Hedley, Anarggras Anarggras and John H. Brogan, Buffalo. British Automatic Vaudeville Co., Portland, Ore.; capital $500,000. Operate slot machines. Incorporators—M. W. Baldwin and H. E. Mason, Pensacola Amusement Co., Pensacola, Fla.; capital $17,000. Build and operate opera houses. Incorporators—J. M. Coe, Nick Smith and Mansfield Moreno. THE WESTERN SITUATION The following letters, among others, have been received by The Billboard with the request that they be published in this column. The Billboard will not publish letters unsigned by their author nor signed by A Reader, A Performer, etc. Everett, Wash., April 15, 1905. Mr. Chris Brown, Affiliated Western Circuit Francisco, Cal. Dear Sir—Since we have been on your northwestern circuit we have had the pleasure of opening five new houses, and the one at Bellingham, Wash., next week will be the sixth, and all of them have certainly been successful. We have not lost any time since we opened for you at the Star Theatre in Seattie, Wash., week of February 20, and are booked up until May 15. Hoping your business will be as successful in the future as it has been in the past, and thanking you for past favors, we remain, Yours respectfully, WASHER BROTHERS. Asso., San Butte, Mont., April 22, Editor The Billboard, Dear Sir—I have read the articles in your paper in regard to the western vaudeville cireuits with interest. It would have been better for all concerned had this matter been ‘‘aired’’ long ago through the columns of your valuable paper. Personally I have no cause to complain, as I have “hammered away’’ on the coast the past nineteen months. I do know acts have been shamefully treated. Good acts have been thrown down by ignorant managers and unscrupulous agents. The letter in a recent date written by Archie Levy tells the truth to @ nicety. Trusting that you will publish this letter, am, Yours very truly, JAMES A. HENNESSY. Chicago, April 13, 1905. Editor The Billboard, Dear Sir-—I note several letters in your valuable paper written by performers, warning all eastern acts not to go west owing to bad treatment they are supposed to have received =nd the bad treatment that is supposed to await those who don’t heed the warning sounded in said letters. I, for one, wish to refute these assertions; and in truth will say, that if you have the goods and relieve yourself of the impression that nothing but cowboys and Indians attend the theatre and that anything goes, you will receive good treatment, good salary, short jumps, iand save enough money to come east to spend> looking for| a few weeks of good time. Yours truly, 3 ANDY RICE, a performer. 1905. Denver, Col., April, 18, 1905. Editor The Billboard, Dear Sir—Just a word about the skin games of some of our western vaudeville managers. I have noticed many comments in The Billboard as I never fail to get it and would not be without it. Being an uninterested party it might not be amiss to state a few facts. Since coming to Denver I have helped five performers eastbound, and they were good people, or I would not have ‘“‘dug up.” Three of the five preferred to go back rather than stand over a third of a cut in their salaries. One most elegant team went on for Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, and was told Thursday to change their act to a comedy act or split up the team and do a single turn. The idea of a manager dictating to an act that never was a act; to change it at a moment’s notice! If the act was good enough for three days it was good was good enough for three days it was srood enough for a week. However, that was not the management's object. It was simply one of the clan’s schemes. Another instance of almost weekly occurance is when some clan arrives some act is thrown back a week or the salary cut; or worse still, is canceled. Its well enough to say that if you can deliver the goods you can get the coin of the realm, ete. That depends. There is a wealth of acts, good ones, too, that ar@ booked to the coast and are told there is plenty of work when they arrive there. And many of these acts have gotten back this far and are broke. Will some one of the clan tell me or any other sane man how a performer, can pay a round-trip fare from Denver to Frisco on $80 and still pay their local expenses which run up to three times that amount, pay ing on an average of $10 per week for baggage, stand from one to four and play six or eight weeks’ encase weeks salaries offered that are seldom v week or $60 for a team? ns they get cut. Let us say he gets back t ver Where can he jump to a » has the circuit? For the benefit all I will state right bere: Don't f yo fare to Missouri nothing of rs that do river points from $ to say sleepers. We have pay fair salaries and do just as they agree. and are to be commended Yet, with all this, how are you to save a dollar, much less make a living. I! will be pleased to give anyone any data in my power at anytime as te any of this western business, and especially to the dear old Billboard. I send this in at the earnest request of a number of performers. With best wishes I am as ever, yours, L. MILT. BOYER. ina ge some able nu